The Biggest Surprises in the New CFP Rankings

3 min read

The first College Football Playoff (CFP) rankings of 2026 are out. Miami took the top spot, while Notre Dame and Ohio State sit right on the playoff bubble.

Key Points

Miami is No. 1, followed by Georgia, Utah and Indiana in the top four.
Notre Dame is No. 11, seven spots lower than in the Associated Press (AP) poll.
Ohio State is No. 12 but would miss the playoff if it started today.

The Top 12 in the First CFP Rankings

The selection committee released its first rankings on Tuesday, November 3, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) said on NCAA.com. The list includes the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and Brigham Young University (BYU) in the top 10.

Rank	Team	Record
1	Miami	8-0
2	Georgia	7-1
3	Utah	8-0
4	Indiana	8-1
5	Alabama	6-2
6	Kentucky	7-1
7	Texas	6-2
8	UCLA	8-0
9	BYU	7-1
10	Ole Miss	6-2
11	Notre Dame	7-1
12	Ohio State	6-2

Good to know. The CFP rankings come from a 13-member selection committee, not from coaches or media voters.

Surprise 1: Notre Dame at No. 11

Notre Dame sits seven spots below its AP ranking. Committee chair Hunter Yurachek said the Irish “don’t have that signature win right now,” the Chicago Sun-Times reported.

Their only loss came 28-24 at BYU. Notre Dame faces No. 1 Miami this weekend, a game that could change everything.

7 spotsHow much lower Notre Dame ranks in the CFP rankings than in the AP poll, per the Chicago Sun-Times.

Surprise 2: Ohio State Is the First Team Out

Ohio State sits 12th but would not make the bracket today. Boise State, ranked 25th, would take the automatic spot for the top Group of Six team.

The Buckeyes beat Indiana 19-15 last month, yet Indiana sits eight spots higher.

Ohio State is also without quarterback Julian Sayin. Freshman Luke Fahey now leads the offense.

Yurachek said the committee worried about Ohio State’s defense in its 30-18 loss to the University of Southern California (USC).

Which ranking surprised you most?

Notre Dame at No. 11
Ohio State first out
Alabama ahead of Tennessee

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Surprise 3: Alabama Ahead of Tennessee

Alabama sits fifth, while Tennessee sits 13th.

That surprised some fans because Tennessee beat Alabama by 16 points recently.

Yurachek pointed to Alabama’s stronger wins. He explained that head-to-head results matter most when teams are close together in the rankings.

One Conference Dominates the Rankings

The Southeastern Conference (SEC) has 10 teams in the top 25. The Big Ten has six.

Three teams are still unbeaten, Miami, Utah and UCLA. All three sit inside the top eight.

Georgia is the highest-ranked team with one loss. The Bulldogs lost to an unranked Auburn team but still landed second.

Boise State is 25th, five spots lower than in the latest AP poll. Even so, it holds the projected Group of Six spot in the bracket.

How the 12-Team Playoff Works

The playoff includes 12 teams. The top four ranked teams get a first-round bye, whether or not they win their conference.

Teams seeded 5 through 12 play in the first round at the higher seed’s home stadium. You can follow the full schedule on the official College Football Playoff site.

Try this today. Set a reminder for Tuesday night. The committee releases new rankings each week, and big weekend results can shake up the order.